route to the mainland of South America. The golden plover may 

 accomplish the whole 2,400 miles without pause or rest, and in fair 

 weather the flocks pass Bermuda and sometimes even the islands of 

 the Antilles without stopping. Although most birds make their 

 migratory flights either by day or by night, the golden plover in this 

 remarkable journey flies both day and night. Since this plover swims 

 lightly and easily, it may make a few short stops along the way. 



The Arctic tern follows the Atlantic Ocean route chiefly along the 

 eastern side of the ocean. Likewise, vast numbers of seabirds such as 

 auks, murres, guillemots, phalaropes, jaegers, petrels, and 

 shearwaters follow this over-water route from breeding coasts and 

 islands in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. 



Atlantic Coast Route and Tributaries 



The Atlantic coast is a regular avenue of travel, and along it are 

 many famous points for observing both land and water birds. About 

 50 different kinds of landbirds that breed in New England follow the 

 coast southward to Florida and travel thence by island and mainland 

 to South America (Fig. 18, route 2). The map indicates a natural and 

 convenient highway through the Bahamas, Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto 

 Rico, and the Lesser Antilles to the South American coast. Resting 

 places are affored at convenient intervals, and at no time need the 

 aerial travelers be out of sight of land. It is not, however, the favored 

 highway; only about 25 species of birds go beyond Cuba to Puerto 

 Rico along this route to their winter quarters, while only six species 

 are known to reach South America by way of the Lesser Antilles. 

 Many thousands of American coots and wigeons, pintails, blue- 

 winged teal, and other waterfowl as well as shorebirds, regularly 

 spend the winter season in the coastal marshes, inland lakes, and 

 ponds of Cuba, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico. 



Route No. 3 (Fig. 18) is a direct line of travel for Atlantic coast 

 migrants en route to South America, although it involves much 

 longer flights. It is used almost entirely by landbirds. After taking off 

 from the coast of Florida there are only two intermediate land masses 

 where the migrants may pause for rest and food. Nevertheless, tens of 

 thousands of birds of about 60 species cross the 150 miles from 

 Florida to Cuba where many elect to remain for the winter months. 

 The others negotiate the 90 miles between Cuba and Jamaica, but, 

 from that point to the South American coast, there is a stretch of 

 islandless ocean 500 miles across. Relatively few North American 

 migrants on this route go beyond Jamaica. The bobolink so far 

 outnumbers all other birds using this route that it may be designated 

 the "bobolink route" (Fig. 19). As traveling companions along this 

 route, the bobolink may meet vireos, kingbirds, and nighthawks 

 from Florida, Chuck-will's-widows from the Southeastern States, 

 black-billed and yellow-billed cuckoos from New England, gray- 

 cheeked thrushes from Quebec, bank swallows from Labrador, and 

 blackpoll warblers from Alaska. Sometimes this scattered 

 assemblage will be joined by a tanager or a wood thrush, but the 



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